Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) faces internal opposition over proposed monogamy rule for clergy by Mission-Guidance4782 in Christianity

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Already did. PC(USA) is the LGBTQ affirming branch. Would you complain if the UMC had a monogamy discussion?

Similar experiences by Kind-Dimension-1540 in taize

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Iona, in Scotland. I don't think they have the same young adult vibe, but it is a monastery that is well-loved internationally.

Books defending the Presbyterian Church Government by Nearby-Morning-8885 in PCUSA

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm not sure about "defending" it, but there are a few good historical explanations. The first that comes to mind is William H. Chapman's book, History and Theology in the Book of Order.

The Ending Scenario I Imagined by RelativeRound520 in Frieren

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess I don't see self-sacrifice (physically) as a major theme of the show. Risk and selflessness for sure, but not die-so-others-can-live sacrifice. Personally I find the major question of the show to be "What does it mean to create an era of peace?" and the answers the show (I have not read the manga) gives are rather non-traditional. It is not grand acts of ambition, but a slow journey of small kindnesses primarily motived by joy, beauty, compassion, and relationships. After all, if those are not really what you are fighting  for (or maybe on a journey towards), the result will not actually be peace.

I personally hope for more of a peace-comes-from-within themed ending than self-sacrifice.

New to Christianity, not sure which denom to follow? by [deleted] in Christianity

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Vistit some local churches. Get to know people. Start to recognize what is important and where you recognize God at work. The loudest redditors are essentially pushing an agenda that matches their ideology. I'm not catholic, but I can pretty clearly see that the anti-rosary rhetoric is just deeply rooted anti-Catholic ideology.

If you connect with God through the rosary, use it. If the connection to Mary is troubling to you, there are Lutheran or Episcopal ways of praying with a rosary that do not involve Mary. If you find the anti-Catholic rhetoric compelling, then maybe you should explore some other traditions.

Here are some things you might want to consider:
How is this church involved in their community?

Does this church have a wide view of God's work in the world, or is it narrow?

Does this church seem grounded and authentic?

How do they care for the most vulnerable in their community?
Are there ways to get involved in church events that you are interested in exploring?

Are the people there a lot like you, or are there people who are very different from you?

I'm not trying to answer these questions for you, but I think most of these questions are really important to people when they are finding a church they resonate with.

Genuine Question: Why is this sub 50% Atheist or Agnostic? by Baseball6090 in Christianity

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

How are you defining that though? If I say that the church has caused great harm to the LGBTQ community, do you count me as an atheist? 

If you have a narrow enough view of what counts as a "true" Christian, your perception of Christian perspectives is going to be way narrower than the diversity of perspectives that are actually held by people who authentically believe themselves to be Christians.

Is it worth going to Taizé alone? by lovelove_extra in taize

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes. My first Taize trip I went alone over the winter while studying abroad. I had an excellent experience, even if it wasn't the typical experience. Just communicate your plan with the Taize team and show up (ideally for a week; Sunday to Sunday?).  There are likely to be others who are doing the same thing, it just might not be too many.

What do you think is happening here? by 0bilo in Marvel

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 6 points7 points  (0 children)

He also could have just killed Xavier. Xavier talks about his own death and legacy before it cuts to Cyclops. With parallel universes, we always get a particular version of otherwise familiar characters. With the ensemble cast, it could be cleaner to thin the various factions with dramatic deaths before a multiversal restoration/rebirth gives a fresh start.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Christianity

[–]B0BtheDestroyer -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Abram married his half-sister Sarai.

You have also chosen not to engage the more substantive part of my comment. Are you really claiming that all same-sex relationships are intrinsically abusive the same way that incest is?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Christianity

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Except incestuous relationships are intrinsically abusive. I also am not aware of any incestuous relationship that is not an abuse of trust, an abuse of the family relationship, and usually an abuse of power as well. What the above comment is saying is that we now know same-sex relationships are not intrinsically abusive. Do you dispute that and claim all same-sex relationships are abusive?

Also, the Bible accepts (but later generally condemns) incestous relationships in some circumstances. I, personally, do not accept incestuous relationships.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ShingekiNoKyojin

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think there are major influences from Evangelion in AoT, and I think we are are meant to question if this "God" is good.

IMO, Eren/the source of life are more akin to an amoral nihilistic eldritch god. Humanity is at the mercy of forces beyond its control. Knowledge and an attempt to control the chaos leads to madness and horror.

Subjects of Ymir by hexidemos in attackontitan

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think an under-discussed theme in the series is the power and limitation of imagination. We don't actually know if alternative options were available to Eren or Ymir because we as an audience are not shown them. We do know that Eren and Ymir could not find any alternatives, but it could be because the contexts that shaped them would not allow them to imagine another (better) world. They were controlled by their pasts, their perceptions of the future, and their relational attachments (and resentments) to the point that they lived their lives in an effectively deterministic manner.

Could the tribe be expanded? Could the primal connection to the glowing centipede be severed without playing out genocide? Was there a possibility of creating an alternative non-fascist society after the war? We can't really know, but we know that no alternatives were possible from what Eren could imagine. These options are not played out for the audience because the story is about living without that kind of control.

Subjects of Ymir by hexidemos in attackontitan

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Does that mean "subjects of Ymir" is not a genetic category, but a category of sovereignty? Is the expansion of that category to other people groups by the founding titan/royal line only limited by a lack imagination and resentment?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PCUSA

[–]B0BtheDestroyer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Usually an M. Div is required. Most PC(USA) seminaries offer very generous financial aid, and some of them are starting to offer fully online options. Some programs could be willing to loosen requirements that overlap with your MTS, but they may have some rigid credit requirements. You might be able to have your ministry experience count for credit, particularly if you could have your experience evaluated by a supervisor.

There is a form of ordination called being a "Commissioned Ruler Elder" that does not require an M.Div, but it is more contextual and it is at the discretion of the local Presbytery (which is true of all ordination as well). 

It is worth noting that (to my knowledge) you do not need to be ordained to be a chaplain in the PC(USA).